Richmond
Event Team
Ayana Obika
Host
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
- Teamwork makes the DREAM WORK!
Hobbies
- Gardening
Profession
- Manifestor of Awesome!
Alysha Townsend
Host
Lives in
- HAMPTON
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Writing
Profession
- Entrepreneur: Customs Apparel, Home Goods, & Gifts, Event Host, American Bully Breeder.
Marshianna Jackson
Head Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
- Live, Laugh, Love
Hobbies
- Gardening
Profession
- Operations Expert
Kelli Payne
Head Leader
Lives in
- Ashland
Motto
- Living My Life Like It's Golden!
Hobbies
- Cooking
Profession
- Program Director for DD Adults, Group Homes, Day Supports and Supported Living
Lareesa Willis
Head Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
- It's all working together for good!
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Real Estate Broker
Shana Bennett-Taylor
Group Leader
Lives in
- N CHESTERFLD
Motto
- Move with purpose, lead with grace
Hobbies
- Gardening
Profession
-
Shadea Cummins
Group Leader
Lives in
- Mechanicsville
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Shopping
Profession
-
Qiana Davis
Group Leader
Lives in
- Henrico
Motto
- Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt and live like it's heaven on Earth.
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Childcare Owner
Shanika Hazelwood
Group Leader
Lives in
- Chester
Motto
- Live, Love, Laugh - Self Care is Key
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Program Support Tech
Sandra Latter
Group Leader
Lives in
- n chesterfield
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Photography
Profession
-
Joyce Loving
Group Leader
Lives in
- Henrico
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Shree Riddick
Group Leader
Lives in
- CHESTER
Motto
- The greatest challenge in Life is discovering who you are. The second Greatest is being Happy with that
Hobbies
- Cooking
Profession
- Consultant
Shauntese Whittaker-Kalejaiye
Group Leader
Lives in
- Henrico
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Cooking
Profession
- Fleet Administration Coordinator
Jamar Arvin
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Floresa Banks
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
- Everyday is a New Day to Live your BEST LIFE!
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Blessed Occasions Event Planning, LLC
Jehosheba Banks
Table Leader
Lives in
- Glen Allen
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
- Jinger - Boutique Owner
Kai Banks
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Jasmine Booker
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Shakeya Brunson
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Operations Manager
Sonya Bush-Evans
Table Leader
Lives in
- Henrico
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Mè-Lien Chung Vargas
Table Leader
Lives in
- Glen Allen
Motto
- Likkle But Tallawah
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Government Employee, Civil Rights Advocate
Delesa Curtis
Table Leader
Lives in
- N. Chesterfield
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Dara Durham-Ross
Table Leader
Lives in
- Hampton
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Dancing
Profession
- Insurance Agent
Sonia Elliott
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
- Rooted in Spirit ~ Composed with Grace ~ Leading with Truth
Hobbies
- Music
Profession
-
Tiffany Exum
Table Leader
Lives in
- Midlothian
Motto
- Don't sweat the small stuff!
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Bank Operations Manager
Tonya Fells
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
- Manifest your destiny
Hobbies
- Reading
Profession
- Cosmetologist
Brenda Fields
Table Leader
Lives in
- WILLIAMSBURG
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Retired Banker
Kimberly Gaines
Table Leader
Lives in
- Mechanicsville
Motto
- "Try to be a RAINBOW in someone else's cloud." - Maya Angelou
Hobbies
- Sports
Profession
- State Government, Grants, Federal Programs
Nicole Garland
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Dancing
Profession
- Talker
Danielle Gilbert
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Dana Hubbard
Table Leader
Lives in
- Chester
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Wine
Profession
- RN
Beauxerykah June
Table Leader
Lives in
- Charlottesville
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Design
Profession
- Architect
Angela Lacy
Table Leader
Lives in
- Culpeper
Motto
- Born to live
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Educator
Shanta Langhorne
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Design
Profession
-
Kristen Long
Table Leader
Lives in
- SUFFOLK
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Design
Profession
- Clinical Contractor
Sherrl Lowe
Table Leader
Lives in
- Sandston
Motto
- Count it all JOY!
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Lauren Manns
Table Leader
Lives in
- North Chesterfield
Motto
- A speed bump isn’t a stop sign. Keep going!
Hobbies
- Singing
Profession
-
Coretta Monts
Table Leader
Lives in
- Chester
Motto
- Life is always better on a ship…
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Retired
Tatyanna Mosby
Table Leader
Lives in
- Henrico
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Dayna Parrish
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Kristin Pleasant
Table Leader
Lives in
- Newport News
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Travel Advisor
Jana Pollard
Table Leader
Lives in
- Chesterfield
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
- Regional operations leader
Nia Qadaffi
Table Leader
Lives in
- Montgomery Village
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Elfie Robertson
Table Leader
Lives in
- Moseley
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Johnne Robinson
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Dancing
Profession
- Business owner
Donna Skinner
Table Leader
Lives in
- Midlothian
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Cooking
Profession
- Project Manager
LaShonda Stephens
Table Leader
Lives in
- Henrico
Motto
- Always ready to serve
Hobbies
- Dancing
Profession
- Healthcare
Mag Stephens
Table Leader
Lives in
- Alexandria
Motto
- The Golden Rule
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Social Worker
Carolyn Stepney
Table Leader
Lives in
- newport news
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
-
Lilton Sykes Jr
Table Leader
Lives in
- Petersburg
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Debra Taliaferro-Holmes
Table Leader
Lives in
- Chester
Motto
- Where ever you go there you are
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Realtor
Connie Taylor
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
-
Hobbies
- Design
Profession
- Case manager/ Event coordinator
Donisha Terry
Table Leader
Lives in
- Midlothian
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
-
Marcia Thompson
Table Leader
Lives in
- Chester
Motto
-
Hobbies
-
Profession
- Logistics
Torrance Young
Table Leader
Lives in
- Richmond
Motto
- Believe in yourself
Hobbies
- Traveling
Profession
- Business Owner
International team
Sandy Safi
Chief Executive Officer
Having started her career onstage in the performing arts, Sandy's love of the entertainment sector brought her to work in special events in 15 countries over the years. She has developed and managed large-scale concerts in Dubai, worked in the Opera world at prestigious locations such as the Los Angeles Opera, the Casino de Paris, and Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu, and finally started her adventure with Diner en Blanc in 2011, when she applied her network and her experience to facilitate the first American Diner en Blanc in New York. She co-founded Diner en Blanc International in 2012, and then became the sole owner of the Diner en Blanc trademark and company in 2022. Above all, Sandy seeks to encourage creativity and connect culinary communities around the world.
Chantal Blanchard
Public Relations Specialist
As a publicist in the world of entertainment, Chantal was fortunate enough to travel the world for many years with Cirque du Soleil. Those amazing years on the road gave her the opportunity to somewhat satisfy her thirst for everything that is lifestyle i.e. food, wine, cocktails, fashion, urban life, architecture, design, etc. As Chantal would say “this career path and passion for all that is good in life predestined her to join the team of Diner en Blanc International.
Lucia Sacco
Accounting & HR
Lucia brings over 2 decades of administrative and accounting experience to Diner en Blanc International. She has worked in the event planning industry since 2007 whereby she occupied the position of Accounting Director and Office Manager. “I feel blessed to be able to combine my organizational skills and passion for bringing events to life towards a career at Diner en Blanc International,” says Lucia. Her interpersonal skills are an asset when communicating with hosts and dealing with accounting specialists or government offices, all the while maintaining a high level of integrity.
Zina Acherir
Senior Project Manager
Zina is a passionate and creative professional with concrete organizational and planning skills. Her educational background in event management allows her to innovate, communicate and visually translate ideas and visions to memorable experiences. Zina enjoys networking, planning, and travelling. "Working at Diner en Blanc International allows me to practice my passion on a daily basis and gives me the opportunity to meet amazing hosts all around the world, which also gives me the advantage of learning about different cultures and how other cities manage events."
Jennifer Soto
Operations Manager
Jennifer’s experience in management in the education sector gives her the perfect balance of leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills. She loves working with hosts around the world, helping them plan their events in an organized and timely manner, while showing empathy and understanding of each city’s differences and needs. “I feel privileged to work with the team of Diner En Blanc International and be surrounded by culture, diversity, food, music, and friendship.”
Liza Belikova
Sponsorship and Events Project Manager
Liza’s background in Arts Administration brings both structure and creative flow to event management. With experience in operations, hospitality, and large-scale event coordination, she enjoys creating seamless guest experiences and being part of the details that make every Dîner en Blanc evening feel elegant, welcoming, and memorable. In her free time, you can usually find her wandering through a museum, discovering a new restaurant, or planning her next trip.
Fiorella Arbanil
Client Relations & Business Development
With over two decades of service in customer relations and twelve years of sales experience, Fiorella brings a wealth of expertise to her current role in Client Relations and Business Development. It is her mission to identify and secure hosts to produce Le Diner en Blanc events in cities worldwide. With a bachelor’s degree in advertising, marketing, and social media management, she has cultivated a strong foundation for driving strategic growth and fostering enduring client partnerships, and she is committed to expanding the reach and impact of Diner en Blanc globally.
Judy Turk
Social Media Specialist
With a background in interior architecture and filmmaking, Judy brings four years of experience in content creation and video production to her role as Social Media Specialist. She develops engaging social media campaigns and visual content for Diner en Blanc Montreal and New York while also contributing to Diner en Blanc International's global advertising campaigns. Having lived in several countries and speaking multiple languages, she enjoys working in multicultural environments and creating content that resonates with diverse audiences. Judy is passionate about the arts, including painting, acting, singing, photography, fashion, and travel.
David Gallego
Full Stack Developer
David is a passionate software developer who brings creativity and dedication to every project. He believes that helping others meet their goals is how we drive innovation and create meaningful change. He also possesses the ability to adapt to different situations and offer a unique perspective which enriches discussions and fosters a culture of creative problem-solving.
